Introduction

In the Fluvial and Coastal Research Group (FCRG) we study fluvial and coastal processes and environments. Our research concentrates on past, present and future river and coastal dynamics. We are especially interested in changing river and coastal environments and how human interaction with these systems affects natural processes, leading to changes in e.g. flow regimes, erosion-sedimentation processes, and physicochemical water dynamics. To advance river research, we develop new methods in coastal and fluvial remote sensing, channel morphology, and hydro- and morphodynamic modelling. Coastal research spans from fieldwork-intensive water quality sampling to investigation of marine spatial planning processes.

Methodologically, we focus on laser scanning, sediment transport sampling, mobile current profiling and bathymetric modelling, as well as on in situ methodology in underwater light measurement and application of geoinformatics in marine management. In addition to our main research focus on the sub-arctic and the Baltic Sea, we also work in Spain, the USA and Iceland.

Staff members and project researchers form the core group, but also undergraduate students participate in the work. The group has a common interest in the challenge of the fluvial and coastal environment, particularly sub-arctic fluvial environments and the Finnish and other Baltic Sea coasts.

Research themes

Recent publications

Lintunen, K. Kasvi, E., Uvo, C. & Alho, P. (2024). Changes in the discharge regime of Finnish rivers. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies 53. DOI. A1.

Blåfield, L., Marttila, H., Kasvi, E. & Alho, P. (2024). Temporal shift of hydroclimatic regime and its influence on migration of a high latitude meandering river. Journal of Hydrology 633. DOI. A1.

Lotsari, E., Lintunen, K., Kasvi, E., Alho, P. and Blåfield, L. (2022). The impacts of near-bed flow characteristics on river bed sediment transport under ice-covered conditions in 2016–2021. Journal of Hydrology 615. DOI.  A1.

Gonzales-Inca, C., Calle, M., Croghan, D., Torabi Haghighi, A., Marttila, H., Silander, J. and Alho, P. (2022).  Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) in the Integrated Hydrological and Fluvial Systems Modeling: Review of Current Applications and Trends. Water 14. DOI.

All publications of the research group members can be found on their Google Scholar, UTU Research Portal and ORCID. Links to user pages are under the People page.

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